David b



(No Model.)l

D. B. CLOSSON.

sHoB..

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

W/ TNEEEEE NMEA/TDR- w: cams mens ca. monxumu, wAsr-lwfon, o cv UNITEDSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

DAVID B. CLOSSON, OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE RICE tHUTCHINS, INCORPORATED, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 587,705, dated August10, 1897.

Application filed October 1 1896.'

To all whom it may concer/t:

Be it known that I, DAVID B. CLOSSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoes, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich- Figure l is a top view of a shoe constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is' a side view of the same with the flyunfastened. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the same on theline 3 3 of Fig. l.

My invention has for its object to provide an extremely easy andcomfortable shoe for bicycle-riders and others and it consists in anopen-front shoe having a fly permanently secured to the shoe along oneside of its front opening and adapted to be secured along its free edgeto the opposite edge of said front opening by means of ball-and-socketor other suitable fastenings, said fly being provided with an elasticgore extending from its top down the center of its length to or nearlyto the bottom of the front opening of the shoe, whereby great ease andcomfort are secured, as the elasticity of the gore and its centrallocation over the instep permit of the free movement of the foot withoutuncomfortable pressure upon the instep or side joints, as hereinaftermore fully set forth.

In the said drawings, A represents a shoe having an oblonginstep-opening Z) at the center of its front portion, the edges of theopening therefore being parallel and spaced apart. Along one edge of theopening Z) is permanently secured, by stitching, a iy d, which laps overthe opposite edge of said front opening and is adapted to be secured inplace when the shoe is on the foot, preferably by means ofball-and-socket fastenings f, as shown, the ball portions of thefastenings being secured to the vamp and the socket portions to the iiy.Other suitable fastenings may, however, be used, if desired. The fly CZis divided longitudinally at the center, forming an opening withparallel spaced Serial No. 607,603. (No model.)

edges, within which opening is inserted an 5o elastic gore g, whichextends from the top of the Hy to or nearly to the bottom of the frontopening b of the shoe, said gore being of uniform width throughout itsentire length and directly overhanging or closing the instep-opening I)in the shoe, whereby the degree of elasticity is equalized at all pointsand all of the cords and muscles of the foot relieved of uncomfortablepressure. Furthermore, by locating the elastic gore at the cen- 6oriders where a free and easy action of the foot in pedaling isdesirable. h is the toecap, which in the shoe here shown is made in thesame piece with the fly d, but, if desired, the toe-cap and y may bemade of separate pieces of material.

The above-described shoe presents an eX tremely neat and stylishappearance, while the ball-and-socket fastenings greatly facilitate theoperation of putting it on or removing it from the foot.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

As an improved article of manufacture, a bicycle or athletic shoe havinga Well-dened central longitudinal front opening b eXtend- 8o ing at itslower end over the ball of the foot; the edges of the opening beingstraight and spaced apart, a fly permanently secured along onelongitudinal edge of the opening and at the lower end thereof; said flyhaving a parallel-edged longitudinal opening registering with theshoe-opening and provided with an elastic filling piece or goreoverlying the shoe-openin g and fastening devices for securing the freeedge of the fly to the underlying portion of the shoe,substantially asdescribed.

lVitness my hand this 25th day of September, A. D. 1896.

DAVID B. .CLOSSON- In presence of- P. E. TESCHEMACHER, R. H. BURDICK.

